13 Reasons Why 'Blue Mountain State' Is The Most Underrated Sitcom You've Never Seen
Chances are you've never heard of "Blue Mountain State." It was a short-lived sitcom on the Spike network about a group of hard-partying college football players that was canceled after three seasons.
But if you have heard of it, you know that it's amazing. The show never really received its due and only amassed something of a cult following after it found its way onto Netflix. Thank God for that because I, and I'm sure many others, would never have discovered its glory otherwise.
Sure, the show can be a little childish, and the humor is definitely crude. But if you're into that sort of thing, you will absolutely love this show. This is a lofty comparison, but it's kind of like the "Deadwood" of frat boy comedies.
OK, not really. But they're both criminally under-watched, criminally under-discussed and both way too good to have died such unceremonious deaths.
Luckily, we can still enjoy its fleeting majesty through the modern miracle that is streaming video. If you've never seen "BMS," I strongly advise that you do just that. Once you do, you'll see exactly why "Blue Mountain State" might very well be the most underrated sitcom of all time.
1. It’s freaking hilarious.
This is really the major reason to watch "Blue Mountain State." It's incredibly funny on every level. The characters are meticulously well-drawn, but also completely ridiculous.
The show is over-the-top in the best way possible and even after watching each episode multiple times, they still crack me up.
2. It never held back and was never afraid to push the envelope.
Nothing was ever off the table for the the writers of the show, Eric Falconer and Romanski. These guys were willing to go to any and all lengths just to get a laugh.
Case in point: There is an episode called "Pocket Pussy," which revolves entirely around, well, a pocket pussy.
3. It seems to be a fairly accurate portrayal of life as a college athlete.
Obviously, it's a pretty absurd version of college life, and I obviously have no real point of reference here, but it seems to me that big-time college athletes have it pretty great. They play hard. They party hard.
And plenty of young coeds flock to them due to their stature on campus. So, it's not too crazy to think that a division one college football star has a similar existence to, say, Thad Castle or Alex Moran, two of the show's main protagonists.
4. It’s sexy as all hell.
The show definitely delights in the pleasures of the flesh, so to speak. There's no nudity but girls (and guys) are often scantily clad and engaging in intimate relations with one another. But hey, that's kind of what college is all about.
5. Thad Castle is an amazing character.
There are a ton of great characters on "BMS," but Thad is the obvious standout. He's played by Alan Ritchson who just had a part in the recent "TMNT" movie.
Thad is an amazing contradiction of a man who is half intimidating linebacker and half whiny teenage girl. He really is a special character, and he raises the show from average sitcom to misunderstood masterpiece.
7. The football scenes are actually pretty realistic.
For obvious cost reasons, footage from the fictional team's games are rarely shown. But they do often showcase the team's practices.
These actors and stunt doubles aren't division one athletes, but they do convincingly portray division one athletes. The show is all the more immersive and enjoyable for it.
8. Sammy is the best sidekick since Robin.
Like Thad, Sammy is another amazing character on the show. He's a lovable loser and the team's mascot. He's Alex Moran's (the team's quarterback) best friend and is constantly in his shadow.
But Sammy is loyal to a fault and is usually just happy to be along for the ride. He also has no shame whatsoever, which makes him a perfect comedic character. He's a lot like a younger version of Charlie Kelly from "It's Always Sunny."
9. It didn’t skip a beat when it had to replace characters.
The first season of the show featured a character named Craig Shiloh who was a freshman running back on the team. But when the second season began, Shiloh was nowhere to be seen, and there was little explanation.
Well, the actor who played Shiloh, Sam Jones III, was arrested during the off-season on drug charges. But the show soldiered on and brought in a new, more interesting character named Radon Randell.
10. It taught us about proper dick pic etiquette.
One of the better episodes of the series is called "Dic Pics." It's about the intricacies and complications of sending photos of one's genitals. It's a hilarious stand-alone episode and was on the cutting edge of all things relating to c*ck shots. Hell, it pre-dated Snapchat.
11. It introduced us to amazing slang like “bro beans” and “sloot.”
Surely, one of the enduring legacies of this show is its inventive wordplay. Many of the characters, but none more so than Thad, have contributed some real gems to our lexicon such as "Bro beans" and "sloot." He also gave new meaning to the term "oil change."
12. The opening credits are absurd.
Great shows typically have great opening credit sequences. Take "True Detective" and "Mad Men" for example. From the very beginning, you know exactly what you're getting yourself into. There are no surprises here.
The credits immediately tell you that there's going to be a whole lot of beer, balls and boobs in this show. If you're turned off by the credits, you're probably not going to be a big fan of the show. But if the credits do it for you, then there's no way you won't be all in.
13. The show is super fun to watch to as it indulges in a healthy diet of sex, drugs and football.
Seriously, what's not to like? This show basically allows you to relive your college years without all the damage to your liver. Sure, your college career was probably never this crazy, but there are undoubtedly some parallels.
The show never takes itself too seriously, and tries to make every moment an enjoyable one.
It's a Goddamn shame it was canceled, but, luckily for us, they're making a movie that they funded on Kickstarter! So, get ready to go back to BMS real soon.
Photo Courtesy: Spike/Blue Mountain State
